Free 2026 gift tax calculator. Estimate federal gift tax using the $19,000 annual exclusion, the $15,000,000 basic exclusion amount, and see how gifts affect your estate tax exemption.
The Gift Tax Calculator estimates whether your gifts trigger a federal filing requirement and how they affect your remaining basic exclusion amount. For 2026, the annual exclusion is $19,000 per recipient, and the basic exclusion amount is $15,000,000.
Gifts below the annual exclusion generally require no reporting. Gifts above the exclusion reduce your basic exclusion amount and are reported on IRS Form 709. Actual federal gift tax is owed only when the basic exclusion amount is exhausted.
Enter your gift details to see whether a return is required, how much exclusion is used, and any tax that may apply. Most people will never owe actual gift tax because the basic exclusion amount is still $15.0 million per individual in 2026. Gifts above the annual exclusion can still require filing Form 709 and reduce the exemption available at death. This tool is a planning estimate for federal law, not a substitute for preparing the return itself.
Gift tax planning helps families transfer wealth efficiently while tracking how much of the unified gift and estate exemption has already been used. This calculator shows the annual exclusion, the amount carried into the basic exclusion amount, and the rough tax exposure so you can plan transfers with fewer surprises.
Annual Exclusion (2026) = $19,000 per recipient ($38,000 with gift splitting) Taxable Gift = Total Gift - (Annual Exclusion x Recipients) Remaining Exclusion = $15.0M - Prior Gifts Used - Current Taxable Gift Gift Tax = Simplified estimate using the top 40% rate once the basic exclusion amount is exhausted
Result: Taxable gift: $481,000 | No tax due | $14.519M exemption remaining
A $500,000 gift to one recipient uses the $19,000 annual exclusion, leaving $481,000 as a taxable gift. That reduces the basic exclusion amount from $15.0M to $14.519M. No actual gift tax is due because the exclusion is not exhausted, but a Form 709 filing is still required.
A couple with three children and six grandchildren can exclude $19,000 x 9 x 2 = $342,000 per year through annual exclusion gifts in 2026. Over 10 years, that is $3.42 million transferred without using the basic exclusion amount or changing the amount available for estate tax planning.
A special gift tax rule allows you to front-load up to 5 years of annual exclusion gifts into a 529 education savings plan. For 2026, that is still $19,000 x 5 = $95,000 per beneficiary, or $190,000 for a married couple splitting gifts. This can jump-start education funding while using annual exclusions efficiently.
When you gift appreciated stock, the recipient typically takes your carryover basis. If they later sell, they may owe capital gains tax. In contrast, assets inherited at death often receive a stepped-up basis. For highly appreciated assets, it can be worth comparing a lifetime gift against holding the asset until death.
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This calculator compares the entered gift against the 2026 annual exclusion of $19,000 per recipient, applies gift splitting when selected, and tracks how much of the current gift reduces the $15,000,000 basic exclusion amount. It uses a simplified tax estimate based on the top 40% federal rate once the exclusion is exhausted. It does not model every special exclusion, valuation discount, generation-skipping transfer tax, or return-preparation detail, so it should be treated as a planning aid rather than a substitute for Form 709.
The annual gift tax exclusion for 2026 is $19,000 per recipient. Married couples who elect gift splitting can treat the amount as $38,000 per recipient for a jointly made gift.
Not necessarily. Gifts above the annual exclusion usually reduce your basic exclusion amount first. You generally only owe actual gift tax after the basic exclusion amount is exhausted, but gifts above the annual exclusion are typically reported on Form 709.
Gift splitting lets married couples treat a gift from one spouse as if half came from each spouse. That doubles the annual exclusion per recipient, but both spouses must consent to the election on Form 709.
Yes. Direct tuition payments to an educational institution and direct payments for qualifying medical expenses are excluded. Gifts to a spouse who is a U.S. citizen and gifts to qualifying charities are also generally not subject to gift tax.
Lifetime taxable gifts and the estate tax exemption share the same unified system. Every dollar of exclusion used for gifts generally reduces the exemption available at death, although the assets and future appreciation are removed from the estate.
No. It is a planning estimate that simplifies the tax calculation and does not cover every special exclusion, valuation rule, or filing nuance that can matter on a real return.